Fractured Allies

Grace sighed as she watched him on the phone. He was supposed to understand. The idea was so simple. Maybe he just needed time to figure things out. It was inevitable now though. The changes were happening just as her data had predicted, just a bit faster than planned. How could he not see the beautiful simplicity of the plan? He would turn into a powerful vampire, and then could turn her, and she would be a strong one as well. Then they could unseat the outdated monarchy style ruling classes and start things over. Finally her parents would have peace knowing that their blood had fulfilled a proper vengeance on the system that had destroyed their lives. She watched as he hung out the phone and went outside, looking up at the sky. Her brother finally wandered in from his nightly visits with that fanged harlot down the mountainside and her glare went unnoticed once again.

"Hakim, why must you go every night. You know she is only using you."

She watched as her brother smirked at her.

"Like you are doing any differently with your tiger. No, actually you are worse. You use trickery and deceit as a native tongue, Grace. I barely recognize you. Did you give any thought to how he would feel about what you have done?"

She continued to glare at him.

"How dare you compare me to your fang mouthed whore! I saved his life, Hakim. Yet he does not see the beauty of my plan..."

Hakim just shook his head.

"No, sister...you have condemned him to lose himself in eternal death. You really do not understand, do you. His ability is so much a part of him that he is lost. I heard him on the phone. His voice is hollow. You need to speak with him before he is gone, or you may never have the chance to make this right."

Grace looked out the window, watching as he simply stared out at the sky.

She knew Hakim was right, but what was done was done. How could he not see the future they could have? She watched him for a long time, then looked up as a plane flew over the valley. She watched as something was thrown from the plane and fell slowly toward the valley floor, suspended from a small parachute.

Quinn had refused to speak to Grace since she revealed her betrayal of his trust. She had manipulating him just like everyone else. Fine. He could work with that. Time for the games to end. Grace had been the one that restored his faith in humans. Now that was gone. He watched the sky as he waited for his package to arrive. Once he was properly equipped, he would leave this valley and never look back. How could he have been so naive? He should have known something was going on. Now it seemed so obvious. The smiles as he healed, the offhand comments, it all fit together now. He looked up as the plane flew overhead and watched as his package was thrown free of the plane. As it descended, he walked to where he guessed it would land.

Quinn unlocked the crates, pulling the bags from it and walked back toward the house. He laid them out on the deck table and began going through them, getting ready for his trip. He never thought he would be putting this armor back on, but now it seemed he had fewer he could trust than previously thought. He set the mask aside for now and began sorting through the supplies. He heard her walk outside but said nothing as he continued to inventory everything.

She watched in silence as he came back with the bags. As he went through them, she knew she had to be the one to say something. No matter what, she could not leave things like this. She walked to the door and shuddered. she remembered seeing that armor before. It was when he was fighting. She was not sure what she would say but she had to try. She walked out to where he was, flinching when she saw the mask sitting on the table.

"J-John? I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I did not know how to explain...everything. I have been so angry for so long, and your situation gave me such and opportunity. I knew I should say I am sorry for doing it, but I will not make things worse with another lie. Once your change is complete, you can come back and turn me. Then with the two of us together, there will be nothing to stop the plan from being put in place. The cruel monarchies will fall and a new order, My Order, can take it's place. Don't you see? it is so simple..."

"J-John? I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I did not know how to explain...everything. I have been so angry for so long, and your situation gave me such an opportunity. I know I should say I am sorry for doing it, but I will not make things worse with another lie. Once your change is complete, you can come back and turn me. Then with the two of us together, there will be nothing to stop the plan from being put in place. The cruel monarchies will fall and a new order, My Order, can take it's place. Don't you see? it is so simple..."

He fished a small envelope from the supplies and threw it at her feet, barely turning to look at her. He watched as she knelt down and picked it up. She opened it and looked at him in confusion.

"Money for your troubles. That is the last kindness you will ever have from me. You will have nothing more. Your little 'plan' is failed. No matter my fate, I will make it my mission to assure that you live a long mortal life and never have a chance to grasp power as your deceitful mind has plotted. I have sent word to Lady Shardi, your brother's Mistress. She will be taking him into her home on a permanent basis, as a favor to me. He will be well taken care of. What you do not seem to understand is that while some people can be cruel, yourself for example, others..yes even vampires...can be kind and even show compassion. You have been placed under her protections. You will live out your life as you see fit, but you will never again leave this valley and you will never be more than another deceitful human among many."

He lifted the mask from the table, setting it into place and turned toward her.

"You....Are.....Dead.....To.....Me."

He picked up his bags and started the trek to the local Sheriff's house. Shardi had been kind enough to arrange transport by helicopter back to the city for him. He would be glad to be back where he belonged. At least in Louisiana they wore their darkness openly. He could face the future now, with no regrets being left behind.